Day: May 28, 2023

Changemakersaathi माँ: Maasi; journey of Gouri

Meet Gouri, a keen learner of human behavior, a small business owner, a home maker and above all a proud mother of a 9 year old daugther.

Gouri’s Autism journey started with her daughter’s diagnosis, but it didn’t end there. She knew that there were many families out there who were struggling with the same challenges, and she wanted to help them in any way she could.

Gouri, the founder of Maasi Group, had always felt the need to make a difference in the world. After her daughter was diagnosed with autism, she realized that she wanted to create a business that not only made a profit but also helped others in the same situation.

Gouri founded Maasi group, a small enterprise that creates customized weighted and sensory stimulating products for individuals and families with special needs. Gouri understood that each individual has unique sensory needs and designed her products in consultation with parents and therapists to ensure that they were tailored to the individual’s requirements.

At Maasi they make customised weighted and sensory stimulating products for individuals and families with special needs. They wish to be a partner in parent’s journey of learning, doing what they like and ultimately living life the way it is meant to be – freely and abundantly.

Maasi is a small enterprise, handcrafting products that individuals especially children with autism/sensory disorders, can touch, feel, learn and have fun. All the products are designed and handcrafted in consultation with parents and therapists, to help kids and adults focus on their immediate sensory need and find a sensory release/ moderation and hence finding a emotional balance, and connection with their surrounding confidently. Some of their products are weighted blanket, weighted lap-pads, sensory foot mat, weighted eye mask, weighted jackets, sensory activity mats for hands and feet, sensory rainbow colors cloud and number boards.

For the past four years, Gouri has kept Maasi commercially viable while also giving back to society. She has been open to helping anyone who needs assistance with their journey of raising an autistic child, whether they are customers or not. She has shared her experiences, mistakes, misses, and hits with other mother and primary caregiver groups, constantly advocating for neurodiverse communities and promoting inclusiveness.

For Gouri, every order she takes is a challenge, and every delivery and feedback is an achievement. She strives to make each product specifically tailored to the individual’s needs and preferences, knowing that it could make a significant difference in their daily routine, playtime, or learning.

Every time a parent comes back and tells her that the child or individual is using and enjoying the product, and it has brought ease into their daily routine, Gouri feels that she has achieved something worthwhile. Her dedication to helping others and her passion for creating a business that does good has made her a true changemaker. Gouri’s work with Maasi Group has made a significant difference in the lives of many individuals and families, and she continues to inspire others to make a positive impact in their own way.

Gouri’s enterprise has now successfully took off, and she gets orders from all over the country. She has hired a team of skilled artisans who shares her vision and helps her create more innovative and effective products. Maasi Group’s products not only helped special needs children find emotional balance and connect with their surroundings confidently, but they also provided their families with a sense of relief and hope.

However, Gouri’s ambition to help others didn’t stop here. She knew that the stigma surrounding special needs individuals was still prevalent in society, and she wanted to change that. Gouri has actively participated in trainings, webinars, and podcasts, trying to normalize various stereotypes attached to autism and raising autistic children. She has worked with schools, residential buildings, and corporations to raise awareness and promote inclusiveness for neurodiverse communities. She organize events where special needs individuals could showcase their skills and talents, breaking the stereotype that special needs individuals were incapable of leading productive and fulfilling lives.

Through her efforts, Gouri became a changemaker, inspiring other entrepreneurs and individuals to create a more inclusive society. She proved that with hard work, dedication, and empathy, anything is possible. Her journey taught us that a diagnosis is not the end of the road; it’s just the beginning of a new one, full of opportunities and possibilities.

Co Authored by – Gouri Ganti, Founder Maasi Group, and Shilpi Mayank Awasthi, Founder SpecialSaathi.

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Creative representation for this blog is done by our extremely talented CreativeSaathi associate Morpheus Nag